


Taran and Eilonwy Drabbles

by jansgotaplan



Category: The Black Cauldron (1985)
Genre: Drabbles, F/M, Fluff, One-Shots
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-09
Updated: 2018-12-09
Packaged: 2019-09-15 04:50:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 13,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16926825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jansgotaplan/pseuds/jansgotaplan
Summary: Just a few drabbles about the Assistant Pig-Keeper and the Princess.





	1. Tree Climbing

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! I just got an ao3 account (why I waited this long to get one, I have no idea lol) and I figured I might as well start off by posting some drabbles that I wrote a few years back. It could be found elsewhere under 23jk :) But here it is again!

Tree climbing

It was a warm afternoon on Caer Dallben. As Taran finished giving the small, white pig Hen Wen a bath, Eilonwy had still been marveling at the sight of the small farm. It had only been a few days since the defeat of the Horned King and the princess decided she would stay on the farm until she needed to be sent away. Either way, she enjoyed Taran's company almost as much as he enjoyed hers, but there were times when she would get much too bothersome to him.

"Alright Hen, you're all clean now," Taran nodded, smiling down at the pig. She gave him a cheerful grunt before she marched off to her enclosure. Thinking Eilonwy had been watching him the whole time, Taran turned to face her but noticed she was nowhere to be seen.

"Eilonwy?" He spun on his heel, wondering where the girl went. Suddenly, he heard rustling coming from somewhere near him, along with a few giggles. He tried to follow the sounds until he ended up coming to a tree, and that is where he spotted the princess sitting up on a sturdy branch not too far from the ground.

His eyes scarcely widened as he called up to her. "Wha- why in the world are you up there?"

"Well, I don't see why not. I'll have you know it's a great view from up here!" She laughed as she dangled her feet delightfully.

"Come down, you're going to fall!"

She gave him a small pout and faced away from him momentarily. "Oh shush, no I'm not. I did get up here by myself, did I not?"

Taran ignored her and shook his head. "Eilonwy, don't make me have to come up and get you."

She gently patted the branch and looked back down to the boy. "Climb up and sit here with me then."

"So then we can _both_ fall?"

Eilonwy wanted to stay up there longer, but the pig-keeper was certainly not making it any easier for her. With that, she began to carefully climb down from her spot. "Oh alright, I'll get down. Really Taran, why do you always have to ruin everyth-" Before she was able to finish her sentence, she suddenly lost grip of the branch and fell down with a scream. Luckily, the fall wasn't grand, but as for Taran, he was rapidly knocked down and hardly had any time to react.

Their eyes met for a brief moment before the boy irritably squirmed around under her.

"Get off of me, you silly girl."

"Oh!" Eilonwy quickly scrambled off of him and stood up, smoothing out her skirt and picking out any leaves that were stuck in her hair. "I'm very sorry, Taran. You're not hurt, are you?" She gave him a worried look, followed by a small, hopeful smile. Not only was she hoping he was alright, but she also hoped he wasn't mad with her.

"I'm fine." Taran stood up as well and adjusted his clothes. Even though he was facing down, he knew she had been watching him. He glanced at her and slightly pursed his lips.

"Eilonwy..." He said calmly.

"Yes, Taran?" She rocked back and forth on her heels with her hands behind her, now giving him an innocent smile.

He timidly rubbed his neck for a moment and shrugged lightly. "I... well, do try to be more careful."

"Of course," she smiled genuinely and stepped up to him, gently bopping his nose. "I'm not _that_ silly, you know." With that, she planted a small kiss on his cheek and walked along over to Hen Wen's enclosure.

Taran smiled at her action but immediately pouted, for he realized his cheeks had reddened. The last thing he wanted for her to do was get him that way. Yet, he actually didn't mind it all that much. He was certainly not going to admit that, though.


	2. Letter

Letter

With all of his duties finished for the day, Taran then seated himself under a tree just ahead of the cottage. While Eilonwy had been inside talking to Dallben, the pig-keeper thought he would take this time to write a letter to the princess for when they had to part ways. He knew she wasn't going to stay at Caer Dallben for long, which was rather disappointing to him, but the boy knew that's just how it had to be.

_"...You truly are a great friend. Your pig-keeper, Taran."_

Taran quietly read the letter to himself, wondering if might have been good enough. It was probably not the best thing he has ever written, but he thought it might do. He proceeded to read it over again when all of a sudden, a familiar little creature appeared from behind a nearby bush.

"Oh Master! Quick! Gurgi found lots and lots of munchings and crunchings! Gurgi found it this way!" Gurgi attempted to pull Taran up from his spot but the boy did not move.

"Not now, Gurgi," he said, shaking his head as he began to read over his writing once more. "I'm rather busy at the moment."

Without saying anything else, Gurgi took a few steps closer to Taran and peeked over his shoulder to see what the boy was looking at in front of him. Taran quickly covered the letter before the creature read any further. "This is not for you to read. It's... well, it's for Eilonwy."

"Pretty lady?" Gurgi questioned before grinning widely. "Oh! Gurgi will take it to pretty lady for you!" In an instant, Gurgi snatched the letter from the pig-keeper's hand and ran off into the direction of the cottage.

"W-Wait Gurgi!" The boy's eyes widened as he attempted to stand up and he nearly stumbled back down when he tried to rush after the creature. Though, Gurgi had already been near the cottage by now and that's when Taran noticed Eilonwy stepping out of the door. Before he was able to prevent Gurgi from giving her the letter, Taran saw that it was too late. He slowed down and stopped right in front of the princess.

"O-Oh.. Eilonwy..." Taran trailed off and looked at her sheepishly.

Eilonwy noticed the look on his face and she gave him a questioning gaze. "What seems to be the matter, Taran?"

"Eilonwy.. you mustn't read that," he stammered as he tried to grab the letter.

The princess quickly moved it away from his grasp and gave him a curious look. "And why not?" She wondered, slightly tilting her head. "Gurgi said this was written for me. I don't see why I would not be allowed to read it." Taran was about to protest further but he saw that she had already started to read his letter. He dropped his shoulders and faced down, not daring to look at how she would react to what he wrote. He thought perhaps she would laugh or say something silly. But after a few moments, he noticed there were no remarks from her.

He glanced back up to her and noticed the smile spreading across her lips as she continued to read on. As soon as she was finished, she looked back up to Taran, whose face had turned into a light shade of pink. "Oh, Taran. This is very sweet of you! Thank you, I truly appreciate it." She stepped up to him and hugged him tightly. Taran was surprised by her sudden action but he eventually returned the favor and smiled, relieved to hear those words.

"You're welcome, Eilonwy." He continued to hug her until it seemed like he was hugging her forever. Quickly, he pulled back and laughed sheepishly to himself. "Forgive me."

Eilonwy giggled quietly and shook her head. "Oh, it's alright." She looked down at the letter once more before looking back up to the boy with a small smile. "Why did you not want me to read it?"

"Well I.." He paused momentarily and shrugged lightly, "I didn't mean to give it to you today. Gurgi took it from me and I suppose he told you it was for you to read."

The princess tried her best not to laugh at what really happened and just simply nodded. "Oh yes, he did tell me that.. Say, where did he run off to anyway?"

"Well.. perhaps to find his 'munchings and crunchings'," Taran mimicked with a small laugh. Suddenly, he felt something clinging onto his leg which nearly caused him to jump.

"Yes! Munchings and crunchings are this way!" Gurgi exclaimed as he tried to drag Taran along. "Quick quick! Gurgi knows the way!"

Taran pouted while Eilonwy only laughed at the sight. Without saying a word, she quickly stepped inside the cottage to place Taran's letter in a safe spot and picked up a basket on her way back outside. The princess noticed the two still standing in the same spot and giggled quietly as she then stepped up to Taran and grabbed his hand. "Well, let's be off then!"

Gurgi beamed and let go of Taran's leg before he began to hop off delightfully, showing them which way to go. In the meantime, the pig-keeper smiled to himself as he walked hand in hand with the princess.


	3. Sleepyhead

Sleepyhead

Eilonwy hummed quietly to herself and walked down the path leading out to the deep woods. She knew it was best not to wander off too far, but she decided taking a short walk would be a good way to spend time waiting for Taran to finish his chores. She sometimes offered to assist him, but being the stubborn boy he was, he would usually refuse to let her do such tasks.  As the day went on, Eilonwy thought perhaps Taran might have been done for the day, which meant they could either spend some time to explore or sit around. She began to make her way back in the direction of the cottage to find the pig-keeper.

As she headed back, she noticed Taran sprawled out under a tree. She gasped, thinking something terrible must have happened to him. But once she approached him, she saw nothing wrong with him. Eilonwy sighed a small breath of relief and giggled quietly. Why didn't she realize he was only asleep? The princess then gracefully sat down next to the sleepy boy, surprised to see he has not yet awaken. She would have tried to wake him up but the peaceful sight of him only made her gaze at him for quite some time. She certainly didn't intend on doing so, but she found it pleasing.

All of a sudden, a leaf from the tree fell on Taran's face. He wrinkled his nose and slowly opened his eyes, only to see big, blue ones staring right back at him. He quickly sat up and couldn't help but turn a light shade of red when he realized Eilonwy was probably sitting beside him for a long while.

"O-Oh.. I.. -W-What do you want, you silly girl?" He pouted, crossing his arms in the meantime.

Eilonwy stiffled her laughter and faced down. She wasn't sure why he acted the way he did when she was around. She glanced back up to him and grinned. "Did you manage to rest well?"

"I did.."

"Well, I'm certainly glad to hear that. Though, I don't see why you would want to be resting out here. It would be much nicer to sleep on something much more softer, don't you think?.. Oh, not that the grass is not soft. This grass is rather soft indeed! I can see why-"

"Eilonwy.." Taran quickly interrupted her before she went on any further. Her endless chattering was something he was still trying to get used to. He quietly sighed to himself and rubbed his eyes. "I understand. I was tired and I just happened to fall asleep here."

"I would assume an assistant pig-keeper would be tired," she smiled softly as she scooted a tad closer to Taran and rested her head on his shoulder. "I can help, you know."

The boy nearly tensed up when Eilonwy moved closer to him, which almost made him forget that she had been talking to him. And it took him a moment to realize that she was offering to help him once more. "No.. No, it's alright. It's _my_ duty, not yours." He managed to compose himself within a brief moment and went on. "B-But thank you..."

"Oh, you're welcome, Taran." She smiled to herself and let out a soft yawn. "But really, if you need help with anything.. anything at all, you just let me know."

Taran didn't say anything but only smiled instead. Eilonwy thought she would get some sort of response, yet she noticed he remained silent. She quietly twiddled her fingers and wondered what he might have been thinking about. The princess then slightly tilted her head up to face the boy and she immediately noticed his smile. Though, his smile quickly turned into a small pout once he realized she was looking at him when he least expected it. Eilonwy giggled softly at his reaction and sat back up.

"Oh, Taran. If only you can see the look on your face!" She covered her mouth and continued to laugh while Taran attempted not to be amused by the princess. Either way, he eventually ended up giving in and laughed along with her. After a few moments, he shook his head and stood up from the grassy ground. The boy offered his hand to Eilonwy and she gladly took it and stood herself up as well.

"Where might we be going?" She asked, surprised to see he didn't seem so sleepy anymore.

"Well, we can go exploring if you'd like." He gave her a small shrug, for he was unsure if she wanted to do that.

"Oh, of course!" She answered delightfully as she already began to pull him along down the path in front of them.


	4. Accidental

Accidental

Dusk was soon to arrive and Eilonwy had still been wandering about through the forest's path. Days seemed to become longer whenever Taran was busy with his everyday duties. After Eilonwy offered to assist him numerous times, he let her help him with a few things but he continued to say he could handle the rest on his own. She wasn't sure why he was always had to be stubborn about that.

Eilonwy was beginning to get rather bored when something caught her eye. Not too far from her was a cave, which looked small but seemed big enough to step inside. She noticed a light in the opening, a few lights, in fact. She took a few steps closer to it when she noticed the lights went out. The princess was just about to examine it when she noticed a familiar voice calling for her.

"Eilonwy! Where are you, you silly girl?"

"Over here!" She reponded as she continued to look inside the narrow opening of the cave.

Taran managed to find her after a few moments and immediately began to wonder what on Earth she was up to. "What are you doing out here?"

Eilonwy turned to face him and placed her hands on her hips. "Well, exploring of course. Really, Taran, I thought you would have known these things by now."

The pig-keeper slightly rolled his eyes at her remark and gestured out to the direction of the cottage. "Well come on then, we must be off now."

"Wait, there's something I must show you." Before Taran was able to do anything, Eilonwy suddenly grabbed his hand and took him closer to the cave.

"And what _must_ you show me?" He wondered.

"You'll see in just a moment!" She said, already dragging him inside with a small grin. Their surroundings began to get darker little by little while they carefully walked further inside.  As for Taran, he was beginning to not like the idea of being in such a dark atmosphere. And that's when he remembered about something that might help.

"Your bauble! Do you have it with you?"

Eilonwy shook her head, doubting that he could even see her doing so. "Sadly, I don't. But we mustn't worry! There should be light in here very soon, I'm sure."

Taran made a face of confusion. "And when might that be? Or _where_ , as a matter of fact. I  don't see _any_ light at all!"

"Oh, _do_ be patient, Taran."

Eventually, they came to a small area that seemed much more roomy. Although it was still very dark. Taran was about to protest about the lack of light yet again when suddenly, right in front of  them was a few green lights; one lighting up after another. Eilonwy smiled widely and finally realized that these lights turned out to be fireflies. The whole room quickly filled up with these lights and Taran couldn't help but grin softly at the sight.

"It _is_ rather interesting to look at," he admitted.

Eilonwy turned to him and noticed she could see his face a little better than before when there were no lights at all. "It is, is it not?" After a few moments, the majority of the lights began to go out. Only a few fireflies were still lit up, but the room ended up going dark once more.

"We must be on our way now," Taran informed, "We can come back here tomorrow if you'd like."

Eilonwy happily clasped her hands and nodded. "Oh yes, that sounds like a lovely idea!"

With that said, they both tried to move out simultaneously but they only ended up getting stuck together once they reached the tighter spot of the cave.

"Eilonwy!" Taran exclaimed.

"What? That was certainly not _my_ doing. I was only trying to get out."

"Well, perhaps _I_ was trying to get out as well, _silly girl_."

The princess huffed and tried to move again at the same time Taran tried to move and without noticing, they accidently pressed their lips together. It took Taran a moment to realize he was kissing her. Dazed, he pulled away and ended up clumsily hitting the back of his head against the wall by mistake.

Eilonwy noticed his incident and gasped. "Oh, Taran!"

His cheeks immediately reddened, which luckily for him, he was sure it was something Eilonwy couldn't see in the dark. "Can we just make our way out?"

"I'll go first," Eilonwy said. Taran stayed still and let her carefully go ahead of him. The boy soon followed right behind her. By the time they made it out, the sun had begun to set rather quickly.

Eilonwy turned to Taran and noticed his red cheeks but said nothing about it, for her own cheeks were probably nearly as red as his. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and stepped up to Taran with concern. "Are you alright?"

Taran rubbed the back of his head and gave her a small, reassuring nod. "I am."

Relieved to hear that, Eilonwy then gave him a small smile and giggled quietly to herself. The boy noticed this and gave her a look of confusion. "And what might you be laughing about now?"

"Well, certainly not about your injury.." Her small giggles eventually faded and she gave him a more caring expression. "Oh, Taran. Forgive me for bringing you into this."

He gave a low sigh and shrugged. "It's no bother at all." He looked up to the sky before glancing back to the princess. "We should return to the cottage now. It's getting rather late."

"Yes, I am certainly aware of that, Taran of Caer Dallben," she laughed as she gently poked his nose. "Let's be off then!" Eilonwy spun on her heel and already started to make her way back while Taran followed close behind. It wasn't until a moment later that the pig-keeper thought of their little mishap. He nearly flushed at the thought, but he managed to smile a bit as he continued to walk back to the cottage with the silly princess.


	5. Sword Play

Sword Play

It had been another busy day at Caer Dallben for the pig-keeper. He was busy with his daily chores while Eilonwy had been inside the cottage helping Dallben with a few things. In the meantime, as Taran fed the farm animals, he spotted a stick lying on the ground and picked it up. Yet, moments later, he couldn't help but start swinging it around, pretending it was a sword. It was something he always found joy in doing, but certainly not when he would get caught.

Once Eilonwy had finished inside the cottage, she stepped outside and noticed Taran swinging the object around and she couldn't help but laugh to herself. "What on Earth are you doing, Taran?"

Taran nearly dropped the stick from his hand when he rapidly spun around and saw the princess staring at him. "Oh! I was.. well, I was only-"

"Daydreaming, I suppose? Dallben _did_ mention you do that very often."

Taran pouted and shook his head. "I was _not_ daydreaming. I was only.. distracting myself."

"By daydreaming, correct?" Eilonwy went on with a giggle.

The boy grumbled quietly to himself as he slightly turned away with flushed cheeks. Still laughing a little, Eilonwy walked over to him and poked his side gently. "Well, no need to get that way, silly boy. I was only wondering."

"I must get my chores done," he said, facing her again.

"Oh, _now_ is when you have decided you must do that? When _I'm_ here?"

"Well, what do you think I have been doing this whole time?"

"Hmm," Eilonwy tapped her chin and looked as if she was in thought. "It seems to me you have spent most of your time... oh, what is that word again? Oh yes! Daydreaming!"

Taran sighed and rolled his eyes as he dropped the stick to the ground and made his way over to Hen Wen's enclosure. Eilonwy looked at the stick and picked it up, then went after him.

"I have an idea! Perhaps you can teach me how to sword fight."

Taran turned to her and scoffed quietly, crossing his arms. "Teach a girl how to use a sword?"

Eilonwy suddenly huffed and stamped her foot. "Taran, _please_ do not start with that again. You know how infuriating it is. A girl can do just as much as what boys can do." With that said, she handed the stick back to him and began to search for her own while Taran watched her, still a little unsure about the idea. After she found a decent stick lying around, she quickly made her way back to the boy with a grin.

"Come then, show me what you know," she said, already standing in position with the stick pointing at Taran.

The pig-keeper was about to go ahead and attempt to give her a small lesson but instead, he just decided to be stubborn with her. "What I know? Well.. surely I know more than you."

Eilonwy lowered the stick and placed her hands on her hips. "I did not necessarily ask if you know more than me or not."

"You are not even holding it right!" Taran exclaimed, pointing to how she was gripping the stick.

Puzzled, Eilonwy looked down at the object. She wasn't quite sure what Taran had been talking about. She was certain she was holding it right. "I believe I _know_ how to handle a stick, Taran." All of a sudden, the boy began to mimick her and when she noticed, she became rather upset. "What is the matter with you?! I simply asked for a small favor and this is how you treat me?!"

"Only because _you_ are a very bothersome girl." He pointed his stick right at her to make his point.

"Taran of Caer Dallben!"

Suddenly, Eilonwy swung the stick at him and struck Taran's side roughly, causing him to stumble back and fall to the ground. It took her a moment to realize what she had done and she was left wide-eyed.

"Taran!!" She dropped her stick and quickly rushed to his side, biting her lip nervously as she watched him grip his side and wince in pain. "Are you alright? Oh my goodness, I am so sorry."

"I-I'm fine, Eilonwy," he managed to say as he continued to nurse his side.

"Are you sure?" She was not too conviced by this and frowned. Then without letting him answer that, she went on. "If you hadn't said such a horrid thing, perhaps this would have not happened. You.. You make me so angry sometimes, you know."

Taran looked up and faced her with a small frown of his own. "I didn't mean any of it. But I _did_ mean to get you angry. I thought perhaps you would fight much better that way."

Once he told Eilonwy the reason for his harsh words, she pouted and punched him playfully on the shoulder. "That is the most foolish thing I have ever heard!"

"I believe it worked quite well," he chuckled, still holding his side.

"It certainly did not! You didn't even try to fight back! I simply asked for a small lesson and you only made matters worse." She punched his shoulder once more before she shook her head, trying to hide the small smile forming on her lips. "You truly are a silly assistant pig-keeper."


	6. Nightmares

Nightmares

It was a stormy night at Caer Dallben. The rain poured down on the small cottage while the sound of thunder was heard from time to time.

Sleep for Taran was no problem at all. But as for Eilonwy, she couldn't sleep at all. She began to dream about horrid things, from being trapped in the Horned King's castle and finding no way out, to dreaming about terrible things happening to Taran. At the sound of the loud thunder, Eilonwy jolted awake and it took her a moment to realize she was only having a nightmare.

Once she managed to calm herself down, she sat up and looked around her dark surroundings, immediately spotting Taran sleeping just across the room. She let out a small sigh of relief before she decided to quietly step out of her bed. Then, not wanting to make a sound, Eilonwy tip-toed over to where he was and tapped him lightly on the shoulder. "Taran?"

The boy was sound asleep until suddenly, he felt a few taps on his shoulder. For a moment, Taran thought he was imagining things but he soon noticed something or someone was indeed touching him. He gradually rolled over and saw a dark figure in front of him, which took him some time to realize who it was.

"What is it, Eilonwy?" He mumbled while rubbing his eyes.

"I'm sorry for waking you. I didn't mean to, you know. I do know you need your sleep and all but I was only wondering-"

"You're not afraid of the storm, are you?" Taran interrupted, assuming that might have been the reason she woke him up.

Eilonwy pursed her lips and crossed her arms. "How silly. Now why would I ever be afr-" Suddenly, there was a flash of light, followed by a loud boom of thunder which caused Eilonwy to jump slightly. Taran was rather surpised by the loud sound as well but it didn't seem to bother him all that much.

"No, I'm not afraid of the storm," Eilonwy said quietly, shaking her head. "I... I only had a bad dream."

The boy let out a small laugh and sat up in the meantime. "A dream? Is that all?"

She was a little upset that he seemed to be taking it as a joke, but then again, perhaps she was merely overreacting. "Well yes, of course that is all. What more would you like to know?"

Taran rolled his eyes and sighed as he settled back down on his bed, turning away from her. "Go back to sleep, Eilonwy."

Eilonwy opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. Perhaps she was only acting foolish. It was only a silly dream, nothing more. But to her, it seemed beyond real, and that's what frightened her most. She began to make her way back to her own bed when the room suddenly lit up and the loud sound that followed echoed throughout the cottage. The girl nearly screamed but she held it back and stood still. As soon as it passed, she glanced over her shoulder and saw Taran shifting around in his bed. Without hesitation, she walked back towards him, anxiously twisting her hair with her finger.

"Taran? I don't mean to be a bother but.. is it alright if I stay here with you?" She asked softly.

Taran was already drifting off but he managed to hear her question. He remained silent for some time as he lazily sat up again. Even though it was rather dark, he could see the worried look on her face. He wasn't sure what to do, but he felt like he had no other choice so he decided to scoot over as much as possible to leave room for her.

"Only for tonight."

Suddenly, Eilonwy was filled with relief as she settled down on the bed and made herself comfortable. She glanced at him and smiled softly, despite the fact that it couldn't be seen in the dark. "Thank you, Taran."

"Yes.. you're welcome," he mumbled, noticing how warm his cheeks were becoming. Trying to ignore how close she was to him, he slightly inched away and turned his back on her, then shut his eyes and hoped to fall asleep in no time.

Though, it wasn't long before Eilonwy spoke once more, but much more quietly this time. "I'm sorry for waking you again."

It took Taran a moment to respond when he was close to dozing off and now he wanted nothing more than to get Eilonwy to be quiet. "It's alright, Eilonwy. Now go to sleep.."

The girl peeked over to him before she shifted around a bit and slowly shut her eyes, knowing she would finally get some rest.


	7. Smile

Smile

Taran sat quietly behind Hen Wen's enclosure as he absentmindedly watched his surroundings, eventually becoming lost in thought in the meantime. He wanted nothing more than to be left alone for a brief time, especially after spending all morning getting most of his duties done.  Though, the boy's thoughts were soon interrupted when he heard his name being called out. Right away, he realized it was Eilonwy who had been calling him, yet he didn't bother to respond back. Within a few moments, he heard the princess approaching him but he only continued staring out into the distance.

"Oh, there you are!" Eilonwy grinned, placing her hands on her hips. "What are you doing here?"

He made no eye-contact with her and mumbled, "Resting."

"Oh.. is it alright if I rest along with you?" Before he was able to answer, Eilonwy giggled softly and settled down beside him. "You do realize you left the enclosure open, yes?"

The boy eye's immediately widened as he turned to face her. "Hen Wen escaped?!"

Eilonwy let out a small laugh and shook her head. "No no, I never said she did. But I think you should be more aware of that. You don't want the poor thing to get lost again, do you?"

Taran sighed a breath of relief and returned his gaze out into the distance. In the meantime, Eilonwy watched him and soon began to notice how quiet he was, which began to worry her. "Is something the matter, Taran?"

The pig-keeper glanced at her and quickly shook his head. "No.. e-everything is fine."

"Are you sure?" She questioned, her smile faultering slightly. "You do seem to be bothered by-"

"I'm only resting, Eilonwy," he interrupted, giving her a serious look. "Nothing more.. really." Taran briefly scratched his head and looked away from her again, thinking how he didn't seem quite convincing.

"Oh, well..." The princess stared at him for a moment, not knowing if he was telling the truth or if something was on his mind. If there was one thing she learned from him, it was the fact that she could tell when he appeared to be worried about something.

"You can tell me anything, you know. If you ever need to.. I am always willing to listen." She waited for a response but recieved nothing but silence. "Taran?"

Taran listened to her and thought for a moment. Then all of a sudden, his heart sank at the thought of Eilonwy not being around for long, for he knew she had to return to her kingdom at some point. "You'll be leaving soon," he blandly stated.

Not knowing what he meant, the girl tilted her head in uncertainty before she soon realized what he was talking about. "Yes, that is true. But we mustn't worry about that now. I'm still here, am I not?" Suddenly, a thought came across her mind. "Now I don't mean to make assumptions but is that why you're upset?"

"I never said I was upset, you silly girl.."

"Is that so?" she wondered, slightly raising a brow.

Taran momentarily furrowed his own brows and thought of saying something in return but instead, he brought his knees close to his face and remained quiet. With that, Eilonwy smiled softly and scooted closer to him.

"I won't be gone forever, you know. I can always come by to visit when I can. Or perhaps we can write letters to each other." She paused and placed her hand on his shoulder. "If it makes you feel any better.. I much rather be here in Caer Dallben, not going over some silly, old lessons. But as a princess, it's my duty to do just that."

"I understand.." he said in a low voice. Hearing her admit she would rather stay on the farm made him feel a little better. However, he still wished they didn't have to part ways when the time came.

"Please don't be upset, Taran. I do hate seeing you like that. The day is still young to be moping about." Eilonwy pursed her lips and took her hand off his shoulder to gently poke his cheek. "You look much better when you smile."

Rather than shooing her hand away, he sat there trying to hide the smile suddenly forming on his lips. Eilonwy couldn't help but smile herself when she was finally able to see him much more content.

"Much better indeed," she nodded proudly as she playfully poked his cheek once more.

"You can stop that now, Eilonwy," he chuckled, shooing her hand away this time. She giggled to herself and remained seated close to him as they rested there for a few more moments.


	8. Jealousy

Jealousy

It was barely noon and Taran had already started distracting himself from his duties. In his hand was a stick, which he then absentmindedly waved around for a few moments, that is, until he saw Eilonwy step out of the cottage. Quickly, he threw the stick away before the princess questioned it, as she usually would. Little did he know that he accidently threw the object at the goat not far behind him.

The boy noticed this and his eyes widened but before he did anything, he looked back to Eilonwy and became distracted by the basket she had been carrying. "A-And where might you be going?"

She stopped right in front of Taran and gave him a small grin. "Well, Dallben asked for one of us to pick out more berries.. and that's just what I'm going to do. Would you like to come along?"

"Oh.. well, I would but I still have to-"

Suddenly, the goat quickly trotted over to Taran and rammed his behind, sending him straight into Eilonwy. It took Taran a moment to realize what had happened and he rapidly stepped back with flushed cheeks.

"F-Forgive me, I.. umm.."

Eilonwy laughed quietly to herself, "It seems like your friend would like for you to come."

"Yes, he's quite the friend.." Taran laughed along and looked back to the goat with a minor glare before he quickly turned back to Eilonwy. "Well, I suppose I can take some time to help."

"Good! Come along then," Eilonwy swayed the basket in her hand and began to make her way off to the nearest berry patch out in the woods. Taran soon caught up with her and quietly walked by her side in the meantime. Just when he thought they were going to walk in silence, Eilonwy started to speak.

"So the animals on the farm.." she began, "Are they the only friends you have? Other than me, that is."

The pig-keeper glanced at her and chuckled softly when she asked the unexpected question. "Well.. yes, not including you. As well as Fflewddur and Gurgi.. whatever he might be... Visitors are something we don't normally get here."

Eilonwy put a finger to her chin and nodded, "I've noticed that very well from my time spent here. It's very peaceful though." The princess briefly looked around before she spotted a few bushes filled with berries just up ahead.

Once they approached it, Eilonwy went straight to picking out the small fruit. Taran, on the other hand, couldn't help but continue their conversation. "And what of you? Surely you must know much more people than I do."

Eilonwy shook her head, "Not quite. I do know a few people but I don't really consider many of them friends... Well, I do suppose Rhun counts."

"Rhun?" He asked curiously as he attempted to pick out a handful of berries.

"Mmhmm, he's just about your age. I do worry for him at times though. He is to become King someday but seeing as he is a clumsy one-"

"A king?" Taran wondered, not letting her finish.

Eilonwy nodded, "Indeed. Rhun is a prince, you know."

Suddenly, Taran accidently dropped the few berries he picked out at the mention of this 'Rhun' being a prince.  Eilonwy noticed his clumsy accident and giggled quietly before she continued. "Either way, I'm glad to at least have him around while the rest of the castle is scrambling about."

Taran quickly picked up the berries scattered on the ground, not realizing he remained silent for a few moments. "I.. I-I'm sure he's a great friend," he said quickly.

Eilonwy turned to look at him and noticed how he suddenly began to act a little peculiar. "Taran, is everything alright?"

He tossed the berries in the basket and pouted slightly, wondering how in the world Eilonwy always knew when something was wrong. Then again, he _did_ make it seem quite obvious. "Of course everything is alright!"

"Oh.. well you're acting as if..." She trailed off when a thought occured to her. "You're not jealous, are you?"

"Hah! Jealous?" Taran repeated as he crossed his arms. "Now why would I be?"

As the girl quickly examined a few of the berries she had been picking out, she glanced back to Taran and shrugged lightly."You do seem to be acting rather strange, is all. Rhun is only a dear friend of mine, if you must know."

Taran nearly cringed at the mention of this Rhun. Indeed, he _was_ jealous of this prince and as much as he wished not to admit it, he couldn't help but do just that. "But.. i-it's just that.. he's a prince! A-And.. well.."

The girl's eyes widened briefly before she let out a soft laugh, soon realizing what Taran was trying to say. "Oh, I know what you're thinking, Taran. But I am much too young to marry anyway!"

"But you must-"

"Perhaps I don't," Eilonwy interrupted. She gave him a caring look and shook her head. "Taran, you needn't get that way. I do care for you, you know. You may not be a prince but that certainly doesn't make you any different from one."

The boy uncrossed his arms and slightly puffed out his chest. "Well... perhaps I _am_ a prince. My parents could have been of royal blood.. it just might be possible that you're looking at one right now."

Eilonwy playfully rolled her eyes and gently poked his chest. "Prince or not, you are still you and that is just fine."

Taran pouted and shooed her hand away while he thought about what she said. He still had trouble believing such a thing, but either way, it _did_ help to hear that from time to time. "Even if it means being an assistant pig-keeper for the rest of my life?"

"Well, I don't see anything wrong with that," Eilonwy smiled, shrugging lightly. "Now are you going to help me pick out more berries or are you just going to stand there?"

"O-Oh.. sorry," he laughed sheepishly and continued to help.

The girl glanced at him and laughed softly in return. "You know, I've never met any other assistant pig-keepers but I'm sure you just might be the greatest one of them all."

Taran gave her a skeptical look, yet he couldn't help but smile slightly. "You truly believe that?"

"Well, it's not every day you hear of a pig-keeper taking care of a magical pig," the princess said with a giggle, "I think that's a special thing."

Taran opened his mouth to make a remark about that, but only gave her a small grin instead as they both proceeded to pick out more berries. _Perhaps it's not so bad after all_ , he thought.


	9. The Dream

** The Dream **

A cool breeze swept through the air as the sun slowly hid behind the hills. The young, auburn-haired man watched as the sun disappeared before he continued making his way into the woods on his horse. After spending more than enough time away from his home, the former pig-keeper was much more than glad to finally be coming back to where he belonged.

After some time of traveling through the woods, it began to get much darker and colder, but that was no concern for Taran. Although he had been away for quite some time, he still managed to recognize his surroundings.

It wasn't long before he finally spotted a faint light out in the distance, which was a relief to him. As the young man approached the familiar cottage up ahead, he slowed down and dismounted from his horse. Quickly, he adjusted his cloak and took a deep breath as he walked forward. Then suddenly, the one person he was ecstatic to see immediately stepped outside the cottage door with a wide grin.

"Taran of Caer Dallben, I never thought I'd see you again!" Eilonwy quickly made her way over to Taran and embraced him tightly. Without hesitation, he returned the favor and remained in her embrace for a few moments.

"It's been quite a while," he said as he finally stepped back and looked at her with a delighted smile. Even in the faint lighting, Taran could see how much more mature Eilonwy seemed to him, as well as how beautiful she looked.

"Oh, far too long. Almost three summers! You are doing well, yes? You're not ill or any of that sort? I would hate to see you in such a state, especially in this cold weather." Eilonwy stepped back for a moment and looked over the young man. "And you've grown. Yes, I can see it now. Not only do you look taller but there's something that seems slightly different about you. I'm not quite sure exactly what that is, but I mean it in the best way, of course."

Taran opened his mouth to say something, but with Eilonwy's endless chattering, it was nearly impossible to say anything at all. Even though he found it bothersome to this day, it was something he missed. As she went on about how he had been faring, he only smiled and eventually took her hands in his.

Eilonwy stopped mid-sentence and looked down, then glanced back up to Taran with a curious smile. "Taran, is there something you would like to say?"

He sighed quietly and nodded, "Yes.. that is, if you would let me speak."

Eilonwy let out a small laugh and motioned for him to go on. However, Taran was at a loss for words. After a long amount of time spent away from Caer Dallben, he still couldn't believe he was finally home, standing in front of someone he truly cared for.

His smile slowly spread across his face as he opened his mouth to speak again. "It seems you have not changed much."

Not expecting him to say such a thing, Eilonwy pouted slightly, "I do hope you mean that in a good way."

Taran chuckled softly and nodded, "Most certainly.. I also thought you should know that I longed to see you again. Far more than anything."

"Oh Taran, that's-"

"And," he interrupted as he gently squeezed her hands, "I was wondering if perhaps you would like to come along on my next adventure, whenever that might be."

Eilonwy briefly raised a brow and laughed to herself as she shook her head, "That's not something you need to ask me, Taran. You know I would come along anyway!"

Taran grinned sheepishly and shrugged, "Yes, I suppose that's true." He remained silent for a moment, thinking Eilonwy would end up making some more remarks, but she quietly continued to keep his gaze on him. After a few moments, Eilonwy briefly bit her lip as her smile grew wider.

"Perhaps I was wrong," she began as she gradually inched closer to him. "Perhaps you're still the same silly pig-keeper I knew from before."

"Not quite," Taran mumbled. Without giving much thought to it, he leaned forward and slowly shut his eyes before he suddenly heard a faint sound. Then in an instant, everything blurred out and Taran heard the sound much louder, almost as if someone had been calling him.

"Master!" The voice called. Suddenly, his eyes shot open to see a furry face inches away from his.

"Wh- Gurgi! What on-" Shocked, Taran pushed the furry creature off of him and looked around the farm in confusion. Though, it wasn't long before he realized Eilonwy was standing right in front of him. Quickly, he stood up and nearly stumbled back down in the process. "E-Eilonwy! What.. what happened?"

"You were sleeping, that is what happened! I'm beginning to think you enjoy falling asleep much more out here than in your own bed. And if I do recall, you were constantly mumbling my name every so often."

While Taran adjusted his clothing, he immediately froze at the mention of him mumbling Eilonwy's name, which he couldn't quite recall himself. "I did? I-I mean, t-that is.." The boy continued to stammer and quickly felt his face redden.

"Master had dreams of pretty lady?" Gurgi wondered as he looked up to the pig-keeper with an eager grin.

Taran's gaze fell down to the creature staring up at him and pouted. "Most certainly not!" he retorted, crossing his arms.

Eilonwy's cheeks reddened slightly but she laughed nevertheless. "Oh Gurgi, that's rather silly of you to say."

Gurgi's smile widened and continued, "But Master called pretty lady's name! Yes yes! Gurgi is sure that Master had dreamings and gleamings of pretty lady!"

As the princess continued to laugh at Gurgi's ridiculous assumptions, Taran briefly bit his tongue before he quickly shook his head. "Oh, never mind that. Go on and find your munchings and crunchings.. o-or something of that sort."

At the sound of that, Gurgi nearly jumped on Taran, but the boy quickly stopped him before he did so. "There is nothing on me," Taran said, furrowing his brows.

The creature took a step back and nodded with a toothy smile. "Oh, Gurgi will be back then!" With that, Gurgi hopped away into the nearby bushes, leaving Taran and Eilonwy by themselves.

"Such a peculiar little creature," Eilonwy remarked with a giggle. She looked over to Taran, whose face was still glowing red. The princess gave him a questioning look, but decided not to be a bother about it, even though she was quite curious about what had been going through the boy's mind. But then again, she was sure she knew Taran well enough to know he was very likely having one of his silly daydreams once more. "Well.. I'll leave you to finish your duties. I'll be in the cottage if I'm needed."

"Y-Yes, of course," he nodded as he sheepishly rubbed his neck. As Eilonwy began to make her way over to the cottage, the boy glanced at her for a few moments before he turned back around and took a deep breath.

"What a strange dream..." he mumbled, thinking back to his hazy dream. He couldn't quite remember all of it, but he was certain about what might have happened if he had not been awaken. At the sudden thought of that, he flushed and quickly tried to take his mind off of it to focus on his duties.


	10. Lost (Part 1)

Lost (Part 1)

"I think we're lost," Eilonwy frowned, looking around the unfamiliar surroundings.

"No we are not," Taran reassured, even though he knew she was indeed correct about being lost. It began with the boy wanting to go venturing off into the forest before nightfall. Even though she wasn't asked to come, Eilonwy still decided to go with him. Taran didn't mind it, of course. But it seemed like the further they wandered into the forest, the worse things became for them. Not only was it nearly nighttime, but there was a storm approaching as well. And to make matter worse, the pig-keeper somehow managed to get them lost in the meantime. By now, he felt like he was never going to hear the end of it from the princess.

"I'm fairly certain we've already passed through here," Eilonwy pointed out.

Taran stopped in his tracks and glanced around doubtfully. By this point, he couldn't even tell whether or not they were going in circles.

The boy turned to Eilonwy with a pout. "Well then, why don't _you_ lead the way?"

Eilonwy crossed her arms and gave him a small 'hmph' before she began to walk ahead of him in a different direction. Though, she walked at a slow pace.

"It was _your_ idea to go exploring, you know," she said with her back turned away from Taran.

"Yes Eilonwy, I'm well aware of th-"

"And it was also _your_ idea to not say a word to Dallben about it."

"W-Well, I-"

 The princess then suddenly turned on her heel and faced Taran once again. "So perhaps this is something that should be resolved by a certain pig-keeper instead."

Taran furrowed his brows and clenched his fists in frustration. "Well, if you will give me the chance to do so, perhaps I _will_ resolve it.. and if I understood correctly, _you_ wanted to come along."

"Well, I didn't think you'd be getting us lost!" Eilonwy cried as she threw her arms up.

"I'm sorry! I never planned on getting us lost!" He shouted in return. "Why is this such a bother to you all of a sudden? I thought you enjoyed exploring."

The girl gave Taran a look of annoyance and gestured up to the sky. "Have you seen how awfully dark the skies are? It's nearly the end of the day _and_ there's a storm headed our way. I wouldn't be surprised if we will _still_ be wandering about by nightfall in drenched clothing!"

Taran briefly closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. "Eilonwy, _please_. Will you just allow me to find our way out of here?"

"Yes.. go ahead, Taran.." She paused, turning away from him and mumbling, "Though, I'm certain you'll only get us lost again."

Taran heard what she said to herself and scowled at her. He knew Eilonwy always had something to say in return when he made a remark of some sort. But he has never seen her quite like this. It was really beginning to get to him. "Why are you acting as if I've done something to you?"

Eilonwy opened her mouth to say something but was immediately interrupted by a small droplet of water. Then another. And another. Before they knew it, the rain started coming down rather quickly. The princess briefly glared at the boy before she turned on her heel and began stomping away from him.

"Eilonwy, wait!" Taran cried, quickly chasing after her. Once he caught up, he grabbed her by the wrist and spun her around to face him. "Do tell me what's wrong."

She yanked her arm away from his grip and pushed him harshly. "It should be quite clear what's wrong, Taran of Caer Dallben! How slow-witted can you be?!"

With that, she continued to walk off in exasperation, leaving Taran wide-eyed. He stood there in shock for a few moments, then went after her once more, in hopes of either of them finding shelter of some sort.

It took them a few minutes before they found what looked like a cave hiding behind a few trees. Quickly, they made their way into that direction, only to realize it was merely a small opening. Knowing they had no other choice, they decided to stay there while they waited for the storm to pass.

The two remained silent for some time as they stared out at the pouring rain. Although Eilonwy was still upset with Taran, she couldn't help but feel as if she was rather harsh with him. She was not quite sure what had overcome her at the time. In the meantime, Taran was trying to find a way to ask for forgiveness, as well as trying to keep himself warm.

"I'm sorry, Eilonwy," he managed to say. "I truly am.."

The girl didn't say a word and continued to stare out to the sight before her. She began to shiver shortly after, which Taran noticed right away.

"Are you cold?"

"I'm fine," Eilonwy mumbled as she continued to shiver slightly.

Taran gently placed a hand on her shoulder as he tried to get her to look at him. "I don't want you to become ill."

"I'll be fine, Taran. Thank you."

"You didn't seem fine moments ago."

"I was only upset, that is all. Is that difficult for you to understand?"

"N-No, not at all. I suppose I was just worried.." Taran trailed off and saw that Eilonwy had finally turned to look at him. She still looked upset, of course, but she seemed a little more compassionate compared to a few moments ago. "You frightened me for a moment, as foolish as it might sound."

Eilonwy gazed at him in bewilderment and soon found herself smiling a bit. "Taran? Frightened? I find that hard to believe!"

Taran chuckled lightly, relieved to see a smile spreading across her face.

"Well.. I didn't mean to frighten you," she said with a shrug, "You are just so infuriating sometimes."

The boy scoffed. "Have you met _yourself_?"

Eilonwy playfully punched his shoulder while Taran laughed to himself. "You are much too amusing for an assistant pig-keeper. Perhaps you would have been better off as a jester."

"You say the most silliest things ever."

"Well, have you met _yourself_?" Eilonwy repeated with a small smirk. "I truly think you just might be the most silliest person I know."

"And _you_ just might be the most bothersome person _I_ know."

It took them a moment to realize their faces were just inches apart from each other, but neither of them moved away. The princess hummed quitely and found herself slowly leaning in closer to Taran, whose heart began to race as he absentmindedly leaned in as well. Then all of a sudden, he lost his composure and abruptly turned away from Eilonwy, whose eyes were nearly closed, and felt his face redden within seconds.

Eilonwy opened her eyes to see Taran now facing away from her. "What's the matter?"

"I.. I'm a little cold, I suppose..." He laughed sheepishly.

The princess looked at him carefully and noticed how much he had been trembling. _Was he like this a few moments ago?_ Eilonwy thought as she continued to curiously gaze at him. "Only a little?"

"O-Only a little," Taran repeated.

Eilonwy sighed quietly and turned her gaze to the rain. "I do hope this storm passes soon."

"Yes, I hope so as well.." Taran said with a small nod while he avoided making eye-contact with the princess.


	11. Lost (Part 2)

Lost (Part 2)

After what seemed like ages, the storm had finally gone away, giving Taran and Eilonwy the chance to proceed with finding their way back to the cottage. Except they were now left wandering in the dark with only the light coming off of Eilonwy's bauble. Taran had been carrying a stick he found in case if they were to come across something or someone, even though in the back of his mind, he knew a stick won't quite do much. Nevertheless, it was much better than nothing at all.

The boy looked over to Eilonwy, who had remained silent most of the time, much to his surprise. Not that he was complaining, of course. Though, he still couldn't help but wonder what had been going through the girl's mind. Was she feeling tired? Was she still upset with him after their small dispute? Was she thinking about the brief moment they nearly shared? Taran's face suddenly flushed at the thought of that. Of all the doltish things he's done or thought about, being intrigued about such a thing was perhaps the foolish one of them all.

Taran abruptly snapped out of his thoughts when he heard what sounded like footsteps approaching them beyond the large trees. He glanced at the princess with a worried look before he cautiously began to make his way towards the footsteps. Eilonwy quietly followed right behind him as the bauble's light dimmed down. Taran slowly raised his stick, then once he finally reached the tree, he suddenly jumped from behind it, in hopes of scaring off whoever or whatever was coming towards them.

"Great Belin!" shouted the figure.

He immediately lowered the stick and looked at the familiar figure in surprise. "Fflewddur?"

The bard nervously glanced at the two from behind his harp and sighed a breath of relief. "Oh, it's only the two of you, thank goodness!"

Eilonwy smiled brightly and clasped her hands. "Oh Fflewddur, it's so great to see you again!"

"What are you doing out here?" Taran wondered.

"Actually, I was just on my way to Caer Dallben. I would have arrived much sooner if it were not for the storm that passed earlier. Of course, I don't think I'll be able to make it by tonight." He chuckled before he looked at Taran and Eilonwy questionably. "Say, what are _you_ two doing out here at such a late hour?"

"We got lost along the way," Taran admitted, sheepishly rubbing his neck.

"And we ended up getting caught in the storm as well," Eilonwy added as she glanced at the boy with a blank expression.

The bard scratched his chin momentarily and nodded. "Ah, I see. Well, I suppose we should find a place to rest until morning."

"That might be best," Taran said as they began to make their way to do just that.

________

The companions wandered off for a short while until they found a decent area to rest for the night. Before they settled down on some large logs sitting on the ground, they took a few moments to collect some wood to build a small fire. While Taran prodded the fire with a stick, he listened as Eilonwy spoke to Fflewddur about how he had been fairing. The boy smiled to himself as he thought back to his first grand adventure with both the bard and the princess, as well as his furry little friend. Even though it had only taken place a few weeks before, Taran couldn't help but feel like he was back in those days once more.

However, he had been so lost in thought that he didn't realize Eilonwy was trying to get his attention. "W-What was that?"

"I believe you have poked the fire long enough now. That stick is going to vanish before you know it!"

Taran playfully rolled his eyes before he ended up throwing the stick with the rest of the buring wood. Fflewddur looked at the boy and chuckled to himself while he fixed the strings on his harp, which snapped when he told them about how he took on a few wolves that he came across in the forest. Truth to be told, he was only left running for his life.

Once the bard managed to fix his instrument, Eilonwy looked at him in curiosity. "Would it be alright if you played a song, Fflewddur?"

He looked over to the princess and grinned brightly. "Oh, gladly! A reunion such as this one will not be complete without a song played by a Fflam! Now let's see here.." Fflewddur looked down to his harp and began to pluck on a few strings, which came off as a cheerful tune.

Both Taran and Eilonwy smiled as they listened to the music intently before the girl soon found herself moderately swaying along with the melody. Taran watched her in delight, then suddenly thought about doing something he never thought he would do. The boy eventually stood up and timidly offered his hand to Eilonwy, only to receive a puzzled look from her.

"Would you care to dance..?" asked Taran with a sheepish grin.

The girl blankly stared at him for a few moments before she laughed quietly to herself. "An assistant pig-keeper is asking me to dance?"

"Go on, Princess Eilonwy," Fflewddur lead on with a joyful smile as he continued to play his instrument.

The two glanced at the bard before looking back to each other. Eilonwy soon found herself smiling up at Taran as she finally took his hand and stood up.

"Do you even know _how_ to dance, Taran?"

Taran opened his mouth to respond, but only ended up shrugging instead. "Well, I suppose we will find out soon enough."

With that, the boy attempted to lead the way, which only resulted in a lot of stumbling and stepping on one's feet. Eilonwy couldn't help but laugh at his constant blunders, leaving her wondering if she should take the lead instead. Fflewddur, in the meantime, continued to play the joyous tune on his harp and watched as the two had a grand time. When the song nearly reached the end, Taran finally managed to get his footing right. Or at least, he was much better than how he first started off, which impressed the princess.

Fflewddur plucked on the strings one last time before the musical sound slowly faded away. Both Taran and Eilonwy pulled away from each other and applauded as Fflewddur bowed down slightly. Then in an instant, a harp string snapped.

"Ah, there it goes again," Fflewddur chuckled sheepishly, "Excuse me for a moment.."

Eilonwy giggled quietly as she turned her attention to Taran, who was still trying to catch his breath.

"Well, that was rather exciting," Eilonwy admitted, grinning slightly, "I thought you were going to be much worse than you were."

Taran raised a brow and scoffed playfully, "I'm not even sure if that is supposed to make me feel better."

The princess laughed softly and shook her head. "Well, I didn't say you were the worst.. but I most certainly didn't say you were the best either."

"I suppose that is fair enough.." Taran said sheepishly.

________

The fire was put out after some time, leaving the companions with nothing but darkness around them. Taran settled down against the log he previously sat upon and gazed up at the stars peacefully. The boy spent much of his time lost in thought as his friends rested in the meantime. However, he nearly found himself dozing off in the process. That is, until he heard footsteps coming towards him. He tilted his head to see Eilonwy walking up to him with her bauble cupped in her hands.

"You should be resting," Taran said.

"I can say the same to you," Eilonwy said in return as she sat down beside him. "You know, I don't think I ever really apologized for being cross with you earlier today.." she paused for a moment before she gave Taran an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, Taran."

"You are forgiven... and I would also like to apolog-"

"You are forgiven as well," she interrupted, smiling softly, "I know you didn't mean to get us lost. Just... do be more careful where you lead us to."

Taran gave her a small smile and nodded, "I will."

"And tell Dallben about something like this first. You don't want to worry him, do you?"

"Yes, I know.."

The two of them looked up at the clear sky in silence for a few moments before Eilonwy went on. "Well, today was actually quite exciting, despite the trouble we've encountered."

Taran turned to face her and looked at her in wonder. "You enjoyed it?"

"Well, of course! Anything like this is much better than going over some silly lessons.. or being told what to do and what to wear..." The princess trailed off and sighed softly, "Just knowing that I'll have to be returning to all of that soon.. it's disappointing, really."

"I do wish you can stay," Taran mumbled.

"I know, Taran. I wish for the same. But-"

"You cannot," he cut in. "I understand.."

The princess gave Taran a weak smile before turning her gaze down to her bauble. "I would like to have that more than anything at this moment."

Taran glanced at her in thought, wishing there was something he can do, even though he knew nothing can be done. He spent quite some time lost in thought before he realized his gaze somehow ended on her lips. The boy's cheeks flushed as he looked away from her and accidentally let out a nervous laugh. Quickly, he tried to clear his throat to cover his slip up.

Eilonwy raised an eyebrow as she looked at the pig-keeper in confusion. "Taran of Caer Dallben, what is so amusing to you all of a sudden?"

"It's.." The boy briefly stammered before he quickly shook his head. "I-It's nothing to worry about.."

Eilonwy looked at him and giggled to herself, knowing it was obvious that Taran had something to say. "By the looks of it, it doesn't quite seem like nothing. Do tell!"

Taran's face reddened. Thankfully for him, it didn't seem to be noticeable for Eilonwy to see, even under the bauble's light. "Well, I.. y-you see, I.."

"Yes..?" The princess asked softly.

Taran finally turned to look at her and met her questioning eyes. He mentally slapped his forehead, knowing there would most likely be no way out of this now. Suddenly, his heart began to race. Then, without giving much thought to it, he shut his eyes tightly and leaned forward in a swift motion until his lips crashed against Eilonwy's. The girl jumped in surprise at his sudden action, barely having a chance to react properly. Though, her confusion soon vanished as she gradually closed her eyes and found herself enjoying the delightful moment. Taran, on the other hand, didn't quite know what he was doing. Even though they both went through small mishaps involving them to come together, he was still uncertain as to how such a thing worked, and why it seemed rather pleasing. He pulled away moments after, perhaps a little too quickly and was left speechless.

Eilonwy opened her eyes, only to see Taran struggling to find the right words to say. She couldn't help but giggle softly. "Is this your new way of sharing your thoughts?"

Taran managed to let out a small laugh, but he was soon taken over by embarrassment. Within moments, he buried his face in his hands and shook his head. "I.. I'm sorry. That was foolish of me."

"No no, Taran. It's fine! I think it was rather sweet of you," she paused and immediately realized how warm her cheeks felt. Feeling somewhat relieved, the boy peeked up at her. "And.. well.. it wasn't quite like those other times we shared. This was more..."

"Pleasant," Taran finished, unsure whether or not that was the word Eilonwy was looking for. "I-It was pleasant."

"Yes.. pleasant," Eilonwy repeated as she looked at him with a timid smile. Neither of them said a word for a few moments until Eilonwy finally stood up from her spot.

"You should get some rest, Taran," she said, gently kicking his foot. With that said, she walked off to find a more comfortable spot to rest, leaving the boy by himself.

 _How can I possibly rest now?_ Taran thought as he brought his hands back to his face to hide the broad smile forming on his lips.


	12. Stuck

Stuck

"Taran!" Eilonwy called out as she cheerfully made her way out of the cottage. Not long before, Dallben had informed her about her stay at Caer Dallben, and how it was very likely that she will be able to stay longer. Just when the princess thought she was going to be sent away soon, the enchanter told her about how she had been a great help around the farm. With that said, he decided to have her stay for a while longer, so long as he informed the people of her land that she was safe and well.  The thought of staying was a relief to Eilonwy and she most certainly knew Taran was going to take it very well.

"Taran!" She called out again as she looked around for the pig-keeper. Yet, there was no answer. Eilonwy pursed her lips and waited for Taran to pop up from somewhere, but there seemed to be no sign of him anywhere in the farm.

"Oh, where did that silly boy wander off to this time?" She muttered as she walked over to Hen Wen's enclosure. The pig immediately noticed Eilonwy's presence and quickly trotted towards her. Eilonwy smiled and bent down slightly to pet Hen Wen, all while wondering where the boy went.

"You wouldn't happen to know where Taran might have gone, would you?"

The pig looked up at the princess and grunted softly before she trotted to the other side of the enclosure facing the forest. Hen Wen stopped in her tracks and glanced back at Eilonwy, then back to the forest. The girl let out a small laugh and shook her head once she realized what the pig was doing. "Of course he would wander off on his own into the forest. I suppose I will return in a little while."

Eilonwy walked by Hen Wen and gave her a small smile before she began to make her way into the forest, in hopes of finding her friend. By now, it wasn't very surprising that Taran was somewhere other than getting his duties done. Unless if he went off to pick berries without her, but she highly doubted it. After searching for a while, Eilonwy was sure she heard a voice nearby. She slowed down to make sure her mind wasn't playing tricks with her. That is, until she heard the voice again. Or rather, a few frustrated groans. The girl raised a brow as she made her way to where the voice was coming from.

"Oh, this is hopeless. I am done for," the voice said from behind a tree. Eilonwy immediately felt relived when she realized that was indeed Taran, but she was also puzzled. What could he have been talking about? Before she questioned any further, she quickly made her way over to the tree.

"Taran? Is that you? I have something to tell y-" Eilonwy trailed off when she went around the tree, only to find Taran dangling from a branch, which left her much more baffled than she already was.

"Taran of Caer Dallben, what on Earth are you doing?!"

The boy stopped squirming around and froze at the sight of the princess, who was still giving him a look of surprise and confusion. As much as he wanted her to show up, he couldn't help but feel immensely humiliated.

"Eilonwy! Thank goodness you're here! I.. I-I need some assistance.."

She continued to stare up at him in bewilderment as she crossed her arms. "Would you like to tell me how you managed to get up there? Did you grow wings on your way over here?"

Taran scoffed at Eilonwy's daft question and mumbled, "As if that were even possible."

"Well, you must have gotten up there somehow."

The pig-keeper opened his mouth to explain his mishap before he realized how silly he would sound if he told her what happened. "I-It's best if you don't ask. Just get me down!"

The princess briefly narrowed her eyes at Taran before she put a finger to her chin in thought. Suddenly, a mischievous smile crept to her face. "Or perhaps you can stay there."

Taran slightly tilted his head as he began to wonder what she was up to. "Eilonwy.."

Eilonwy noticed the look on his face and nodded quickly. "Yes, I think you are much better off staying there. At least like that, you can learn a lesson about how you shouldn't climb trees."

"Eilonwy, stop chattering and get me down," Taran grumbled.

"And then you go on and tell _me_ not to climb trees," she went on, placing her hands on her hips, "You don't see _me_ getting caught on branches, do you now?"

"Eilonwy! Please!" Taran exclaimed as he squirmed around in frustration. "Yes, it was foolish of me to get stuck here, but I never planned on doing so.." He paused for a moment and attempted to shrug. "B-But I suppose it was still rather foolish of me."

Eilonwy looked at him and laughed quietly to herself as she shook her head. "Very well. Just stay still! How do you expect me to get you down if you keep moving about?"

Taran sighed and did as he was told. Luckily he wasn't too far from the ground, which made it much easier for Eilonwy to get him down. Without hesitation, she grabbed his legs and pushed him up, loosening him from the branch. That is, until Taran ended up tumbling down on top of her. Both of them went into a daze before they realized how close they were to each other. It then took Taran a few moments to realize his weight was most likely crushing Eilonwy. The boy's face reddened as he quickly scrambled off of her and offered her his hand. "F-Forgive me. I.. a-are you alright?"

Eilonwy felt herself blushing as well. Nevertheless, she gladly took his hand and stood up. "Yes, Taran. I'm fine."

"Good," Taran nodded as he briefly passed his hand over the back of his tunic, which was now slightly torn. He thought maybe perhaps Eilonwy could fix it for him soon. "Thank you for getting me down."

She gave him a small smile and shrugged, "I wasn't actually going to leave you there, you know." Taran playfully rolled his eyes as he glanced down and adjusted his clothes. The princess watched him momentarily and giggled softly when she spotted a few small leaves stuck in his hair. She stepped up closer to him to pick them out and then immediately remembered about what she wanted to tell him.

"Well anyway, now since you're no longer hanging in mid-air, I wanted to inform you that I will be staying at Caer Dallben for a while longer. A few more weeks, I suppose. Dallben told me that I will be able to-"

"You will?" Taran interrupted as a wide grin began forming on his face.

"Yes, Dallben said that I-"

"Eilonwy, that is-" Taran stopped when he realized that he kept interrupting Eilonwy. Quickly, he cleared his throat and pretended to only be slightly interested in what she was telling him. "Forgive me.. I-I mean.. that is great to hear. I'm sure you'll enjoy staying here.. a few more weeks, was it?"

The girl quietly hummed as she carefully studied his expression. "What's the matter? I thought you would be much more excited to hear that."

"I-I am!" Taran said rapidly. He gently bit his tounge and sighed. "I suppose I just don't know what to say... But I _am_ glad!"

"Well, don't get _too_ glad," Eilonwy giggled, gently poking his chest.

Taran chuckled and grabbed her hand as he shook his head. "I don't think I can promise you that."

The princess raised a brow and scoffed, "I'm fairly certain you can't even promise me to stop getting yourself in trouble!"

"B-But I can try!"

Eilonwy laughed softly and nodded, "Oh, I would certainly love to see the sight of that."

Taran pouted at her remark before he suddenly gained some confidence. He grabbed her other hand and gazed at her with a genuine smile. "Give me time and it will be done."

Eilonwy remained silent for a few moments as she gazed back at him intently. Although he seemed slow-witted at times, seeing him filled with confidence made her feel delighted. But at that moment, she also began to feel something more. What it was, she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"I'll hold you to that," she managed to say as she gave the boy a timid smile. The princess couldn't hold back any longer. She quickly stood on her toes and kissed Taran before she pulled away seconds after, abruptly leaving him in a daze.

Eilonwy giggled softly as she ignored the light shade of pink forming on her cheeks. "I.. umm..." she trailed off, surprised that she was now left speechless. Perhaps that was a silly thing for her to do if it meant that it would make her not think correctly. But strangely enough, she still found it rather pleasant. "I wanted to return the favor... for the other day."

Taran immediately remembered about the day they got lost and flushed at the memory.  "O-Oh. That. Yes, of course... ummm.. t-thank you.."

Eilonwy smiled at how charming he seemed all of a sudden before she gently tugged on his arm and began to walk. Once they began to make their way out of the forest, the princess turned to him with curiosity. "Well.. are you going to tell me how you got stuck on that branch?"


End file.
